March 3, 2023
DAY THREE: Even MORE Northiness
Yukon Territory to the Bering Strait
There is a method to my northward madness that may have escaped the casual reader of this blog. To wit, I think it might be possible to ride my bike across the Bering Strait from Alaska to Russia--from North America to Asia--from freedom to oppression.
It can only happen though, if the straight is completely frozen over. I can't get any reliable information on that, but I'm prepared to take my chances. At best, I'll make the first bicycle transit across the Pacific Ocean in the history of Cycleblaze. At worst, I'll have to ride further north in order to get to Siberia via the Arctic Ocean. Whatever. Taking risks is what bike touring is all about, right?
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So I took a crazy hike through the dense forest between the Yukon and Alaska in order to avoid the immigration officials at the border station. It was a major success, except for the frostbite on my toes.
I rode on, past a few rustic towns, past the flanks of Denali, past herds of caribou, and past some Inuit villages where I was given a one-hour tutorial on the art of igloo building. I was living the ultimate bike touring life.
I spent the night with my new Inuit friends. They were even more cordial than the hobos I hung out with two nights ago. We ate seal blubber together. I learned how to carve a totem pole. I learned arctic survival skills. As I slept, I dreamed about The Feeshko back home.
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